The impact of
COVID has fundamentally redesigned the work place for the better. The stigma of
home working has been removed and there is a renewed emphasis on outputs over
activity for activity’s sake. The time saved from commuting less and needing to
be seen in the office will allow everyone to perform at their best and live a
more balanced life.
The importance of
Human Resources and technology working in harmony has been put front and
centre. The influence that HR and business leaders more broadly can have at
this junction can help businesses to recover and thrive in the next 12-24
months. An effective response now can make you stand out from your competitors
and give you a lasting advantage.
Now more than
ever we should be monitoring employee engagement and well-being. Post COVID
there should be a substantial investment in employee engagement and training.
Almost every role and function has changed. Identifying the changes, dropping
the activities that add no value and recognising the potential in your
workforce is beneficial on an individual basis and collectively as an
organisation.
Returning to
work. If your plan is to return to a full working week in the office then you
are destined to go backward. Even now, potential job seekers are asking about flexible
working and time spent in the office. It would be folly to not get this right
and you risk losing out on new talent and not retaining your existing talent.
Most surveys that I have seen have suggested that almost 75% of people wish to
return to the office 2-3 days a week.
Chart a new path forward. Decide who you want to be, how you want to
work and how you and your company are going to grow. We all work better when we
stand for something and feel more engaged with a team if there is a common
purpose. Try to embed this in to your organisation.
We all have an
opportunity to re-image everything and come back stronger.
